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Japan, India to ink controversial nuclear deal next week: reports

Japan and India are set to sign a controversial civil nuclear deal this week, reports said Sunday, as the two Asian allies look to boost economic and security ties to counter an assertive China.

PHOTO: REUTERS

[TOKYO] Japan and India are set to sign a controversial civil nuclear deal this week, reports said Sunday, as the two Asian allies look to boost economic and security ties to counter an assertive China.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe are set to sign a deal Friday that would allow Japan to export nuclear technology to the subcontinent, the Yomiuri Shimbun paper reported.

India would become the first non-signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) to agree such a nuclear deal with Japan - which was the victim of US atomic bombings in the final days of World War II.

The two countries are also set to agree that if India conducts a nuclear test, Japan will stop cooperation, the Yomiuri reported.